When Sarcasm and Optimism Collide
by nerdlife4eva
Summary: When Victor drags Seung Gil to a wedding as his impromptu date, Seung Gil unexpectedly feels an instant attraction to an unknown bubbly groomsman. As Phichit scans the wedding guests, from his bored position among the other groomsmen, he cannot help being distracted by the mysterious dark-eyed man sitting next to Victor. Matchmaking Yuuri and Victor to the rescue!
1. Chapter 1

**This fic is the backstory of the already established marriage of Phichit and Seung Gil in Law Firm of Katsuki, Nikiforov and Chulanont!**

* * *

The first time Seung Gil laid eyes on the eternal ball of sunshine that was Phichit Chulanont was the wedding of a couple who Seung Gil didn't know.

The church was ornate with looming ceilings and intimidating religious images staring from every stained glass window. The expansive room was decorated with what had to be all of the red flowers available in the state and smelled heavily of the potent mix of incense and each unique bloom. It was stuffy and formal and Seung Gil had been whispering promises of murder into the ear of his best friend when the music cued the beginning of the ceremony.

He was only there because Victor's boyfriend had dumped him three days prior to the event and Victor already had the plus one RSVPed. There had been begging, pleading and desperate promises to peer review all of Seung Gil's grad school papers for an entire semester, before Seung Gil had finally given in and agreed to be Victor's date. Not that it would count as a date, since they were openly not attracted to each other and securely friends in the truest meaning of the word. The strength of that friendship was the tipping point in Seung Gil's conceding sigh, but it was also that friendship that would allow Seung Gil to properly express his opinions of the festivities. It wasn't Seung Gil's idea of a good time, and he planned to remind Victor of that in periodic cynicisms throughout the night.

Twisting in his seat, Seung Gil noted his other best friend entering through the back doors, escorting a bridesmaid with too much makeup on her face and not enough red fabric on her body. Yuuri looked handsomely awkward in his three piece gray suit, adorned with a red bowtie around his neck. Always the instigator, Seung Gil leaned slightly forward to monitor Victor's reaction. His best friends were in love with each other, but they had seemingly pledged a vow of stupidity for the time being. It didn't stop Seung Gil from keeping tabs on their idiotic behavior, making a mental list of all the ways he could mock them once they finally removed their dunce caps.

He was smirking at the slight hint of blush on Victor's cheeks, which momentarily appeared after Yuuri had winked at them from his place at the front of the church, when he saw Yuuri stick his tongue out. The brown eyes were no longer focused on his friends in the pew and Seung Gil found himself twisting again to determine who Yuuri was playfully teasing.

The third groomsmen, accompanied by a frumpy bridesmaid in an equally horrific and yet different red dress, had a flop of dark hair that was swept to the side across his forehead. Winged eyeliner painted the delicate span above his eyelashes, and his shining lips were pulled into a bright smile, tongue darting out to return Yuuri's gesture. All of his sarcastic quips about men in makeup died on Seung Gil's tongue. There was nothing funny about the way the groomsmen looked, even wearing the same odd three-piece gray suit and dark red bowtie. When the stunning man reached Yuuri, there was playful nudging and Seung Gil found himself notably jealous of his best friend. A feeling, deep inside of him in a place that Seung Gil trusted instinctually, told him that this man, whose name he didn't know, could change his life forever.

"Like what you see?" Victor poked Seung Gil in the cheek, wiggling his eyebrows and nodding towards Seung Gil's source of instant infatuation.

"Do you?" Seung Gil shot back, nodding toward Yuuri with a pointed look directly into Victor's laughing blue eyes. The stuttering was almost automatic, and Seung Gil laughed at Victor's well-rehearsed line of excuses, rising from his seat to wait for the bride to make her way down the aisle.

* * *

A wedding ceremony had taken place. Phichit knew this because he had marched down the aisle, stood up and sat down a remarkable amount of times over the last hour, and was preparing to return down that same aisle following the glowing newlyweds. If anyone asked him the details of the ceremony, Phichit would have to lie as he hadn't paid attention to a single word spoken.

It was out of boredom with the ramblings of the ancient Cardinal that Phichit began to scan the wedding guests. The rehearsal the night before had lasted almost three hours and Phichit could feel his feet beginning to ache in his rental shoes as the real wedding ceremony creeped over the hour mark. Desperate for distraction, he looked over the heads of the dutiful guests, counting sleeping children and crying women in an ongoing tally in his head. His mind was sleepy and bored, and his eyes wandered the crowd without true purpose. Until he spotted Victor sitting in the fifth pew among the rest of their law school friends.

There was a singular man in the group that Phichit didn't recognize, but his mind suddenly wanted to know every ounce of available information. The dark eyes and messy black hair made Phichit's heart beat rapidly in his chest. The dark gray suit and blue bowtie were a coincidental compliment to the rented atrocity covering Phichit's body and by the time the rings were being exchanged, Phichit had decided it was fate.

Then the man leaned into Victor's ear and Phichit watched as Victor slapped a hand to his mouth to hide his laughter. His heart sank knowing Victor was bringing his boyfriend to the wedding. Forcing himself to repress his need to pout, Phichit returned his focus to the final moments of the ceremony.

As the music changed and Phichit fell into step with the other groomsmen, he chanced another hopeless glance at the man attached to one of his newest friends. He startled, nearly knocking over the unbalanced bridesmaid on his arm, when the dark eyes met his own. Phichit stumbled over his own feet as their gazes held, watching helplessly as Victor shot him a wink and then said something to make the dark-haired man chuckle. The subtle hint of a smile that ghosted over the thin lips had Phichit's heart and stomach colliding in haphazard somersaults. Whoever he was, Victor's boyfriend or not, Phichit had to meet that man.

* * *

The reception was in full swing. Although the young DJ was expertly mixing the songs, the sound was overwhelming in the people-stuffed room. Seung Gil hung back, standing close to the bar and amusing himself by taking in the antics of the bride's drunken family.

Victor had lamented about every detail in the room, from the fabric draped over the ceiling to the intricate braid of blooms that made up the centerpieces. In Seung Gil's mind, it looked like an awful lot of hassle for a five hour celebration and a ridiculous amount of money for an event that could be held in any of the local courthouses.

He had kept these thoughts to himself, not having Yuuri around to play into Seung Gil's sarcastic banter and knowing that too many negative quips would make Victor pout. Victor was a hopeless romantic who could write poetry about table linens, while Yuuri was always on par with Seung Gil's every cynical remark. They were a good balance as a set of best friends, even though Seung Gil was still betting on Victor and Yuuri ending up together. If they ever got their heads out of their asses.

Leaning back against the bar, he slowly shook his head as Victor jokingly danced toward him. "No," Seung Gil stated, his voice flat as he tried to run away from Victor. "No dancing! That was the deal, Nikiforov!" He began to struggle as Victor grabbed the back of his suit jacket to pull Seung Gil toward the dance floor.

"Come on, Gilly," Victor taunted, "your man is out there!"

Stopping short, Seung Gil caught Victor before he could tumble on the ground. "What are you talking about?" Narrowing his eyes, Seung Gil tried to hide the unintentional spike in his heart rate with an intentional growl in his question.

His first mistake was not correcting Victor on the use of the ridiculous nickname. Seung Gil's second mistake was glancing over Victor's shoulder and seeing Yuuri spinning around on the dance floor with none other than the man who Seung Gil wanted for his own. His last, and most fatal mistake, was not taking the opportunity to run away while the chance still existed.

"His name is Phichit," Victor commented, slinging a drunken arm over Seung Gil's shoulders and bumping their hips together. "He is single, in law school with me and Yuuri, and about the nicest guy you could ever meet."

"You nice or Yuuri nice?" Seung Gil inquired, knowing that his grave was already dug and he might as well accept his own embarrassment burial. Victor pretended to be naïve to the people around him, a bizarre act that still confused Seung Gil after years of friendship. In reality though, his best friend was incredibly perceptive and Seung Gil knew it was only their inseparable companionship that allowed Victor to openly taunt Seung Gil about his painfully obvious crush. Victor had purposefully watched Seung Gil as Phichit had made his ridiculously adorable dancing entrance into the reception, and Seung Gil hadn't been able to drive away the blush on his cheeks. Every time he glanced toward Phichit, Victor was there to raise an eyebrow or make kissing sounds. It was actually remarkable that Seung Gil hadn't strangled Victor by that point.

Placing a finger over his mouth, drink precariously balanced between two other fingers, Victor tilted his head in consideration. "He is definitely me nice," tipping the rest of the brown colored liquid down his throat, Victor sat the glass down on the nearest table before continuing. "He has a really sweet sense of humor, not all the sass and glass that you and Yuuri have." Tugging on Seung Gil's sleeve, Victor pouted with a nod toward the dance floor.

Giving in, Seung Gil let his idiot friend pull him into the repetitive lines of the cupid shuffle. "Did you say sass and glass?" He shouted over the music, raising a judgmental eyebrow at Victor who laughed into his next four count.

"YUURI!" Phichit yelled over the music, feeling the sweat beginning to gather over his back as he tossed his suit jacket over the nearest chair. "Who is that guy with Victor?" He fell into step next to Yuuri, admiring the drunken swirl of the usually calm hips attached to his friend's body.

"Who?" Yuuri squinted at Phichit, making Phichit laugh. Turning in a slow, winding circle in time with the beat, Yuuri glanced over his shoulder to where Victor was dancing.

Phichit did not miss the moment when Yuuri's eyes flicked down to their mutual friend's backside. Poking Yuuri's cheek, Phichit smirked at him. "I saw that," he laughed as Yuuri began to flush pink across his cheeks. "That guy, with Victor." Nodding his head to the right as they danced their four count to the left, Phichit waited for Yuuri to once again look over his shoulder and get distracted by Victor. Huffing in frustration, Phichit shook Yuuri's shoulders. "Can you two please just bang and put this thing to rest?" It was a running joke from the moment Phichit had met Yuuri and Victor, and one that he didn't plan to let up any time soon.

Flinging out an arm, Yuuri smacked at Phichit's side, yelping when Phichit grabbed a hold of his wrist. The music slid into something slower, and Phichit pulled Yuuri into him to dance. "Tell me about the guy, or I grab the mic and announce your love for Victor Nikiforov," it was cruel, but he needed Yuuri to focus. "I'm going to count to three…"

"His name is Seung Gil!" Yuuri shouted, directly into Phichit's ear. "He isn't _with_ Victor, he was Victor's roommate in undergrad and one of our mutual best friends." Pulling back Yuuri peered at Phichit's face with interest. "You want to meet him?"

The word _yes_ was screaming in Phichit's brain but the word would not push passed his lips. Instead he stared dumbfounded as if Yuuri had spoken to him in another language. Closing his eyes, Phichit tried to breathe through the parade of excited nerves. Regaining himself, he responded, "sure, I-" the words were cut off as two bodies slammed into them.

"Hey Yuuuuuurriiiii," Victor's drunken slur had Phichit giggling into the back of his hand. "Dance with me, Yuuuurrriiii!"

Relinquishing his grip on Yuuri's waist, Phichit shoved his friend into Victor's arms, watching them sway intimately together over the dance floor. Yuuri also showed signs of approaching drunkenness and the two were always one dangerous look away from finally dropping their inane pretense of only being friends. Looking between them, Phichit was stunned into silence as he processed the existence of Seung Gil a few inches from his shoulder.

"Would you like to dance?" Seung Gil heard the words slip past his lips and wondered if this was what an out-of-body experience felt like. He had never in his life considered asking a stranger to dance, but there was something naturally alluring about Phichit. When a slight nod responded in the affirmative, Seung Gil slipped a nervous hand around Phichit's waist and pulled them together. When their hands connected, extended to their sides in perfect frame, Seung Gil swore his heart stopped beating for a moment.

Seung Gil was slightly taller than him, and thinner in build than Phichit had expected. When their chests pressed together, Phichit could feel the hint of muscle hiding under the formal suit and the thrill of possibility vibrated up his spine. Letting his fingers linger over the line of Seung Gil's open coat, Phichit finally let his hand rest against the strong shoulder. Glancing up, he found Seung Gil's intense stare once again focused directly on Phichit's eyes. The slight blush of Seung Gil's cheeks had Phichit barely resisting the urge to lift his hand and stroke the soft skin. Instead, Phichit swallowed against his nerves and smiled. "I'm Phichit, by the way." He could easily reason that Victor had probably already identified him, but he wanted to introduce himself properly.

"I like you," Seung Gil replied, going wide-eyed with his own misstep. "I mean it… I like it… I like your name." He was an idiot of epic portions. His only saving grace was that Victor and Yuuri were too busy trying to twirl and dip each other to overhear his embarrassing slip up. It wasn't like him to jumble his words, everything Seung Gil did was calculated and precise. Holding Phichit close to him was screwing with his brain and he wasn't sure that he hated it. "Seung Gil," he said, answering the question that hadn't been asked.

"That's unique!" Phichit chirped, letting himself be lead across the dance floor. They nearly collided with Yuuri and Victor, who were in the middle of complicated steps that resembled a mock bullfight. "Oh my God, our friends are ridiculous." Spinning, Phichit returned to Seung Gil's arms to find his dance partner smiling.

"Ridiculously in love." He wasn't ignoring the fact that Phichit had somehow become even closer. His body was definitely not ignoring the way Phichit's leg shifted between Seung Gil's. If he hadn't been blushing before, he certainly was now and he increased his hold on Phichit's waist with a sweaty palm pressing into the small of Phichit's back. His brain was short-circuiting, only existing to process the beauty of Phichit's flawless skin and the aromatic scent of his subtle cologne. The desire to touch Phichit, to run his fingers over the sculpted cheek bones and graze the swoop of Phichit's neck was beginning to overwhelm Seung Gil's rational side. Dropping his head lower, Seung Gil indulged in the urge to touch his nose to Phichit's.

The breath caught in Phichit's throat with the simple brush of affection. His face flushed pink as he returned the brush of Seung Gil's nose with his own. An unreasonable urge overtook Phichit as he lifted his eyelids to gaze into the dark pools Seung Gil's eyes. He wanted to kiss a man who he had known only for minutes, and Phichit wondered how crazy he would be if he went through with it. Smiling with the quiver of nerves twitching at the corners, Phichit let his hand trail across Seung Gil's shoulder, fingertips circling gentle caresses at the base of Seung Gil's hairline.

He was never reckless. No decision Seung Gil ever made came without careful weighing of the pros and cons. He was famous for his lists, carefully folded pieces of paper which held detailed accounts of both sides of any possibility. And yet, in that moment, there only seemed to be one side of the list and every item on it was labeled as a positive. Studying the sparkling shine in Phichit's eyes, Seung Gil leaned in.

"You guys!" Victor tackled them from the side, disrupting the almost kiss. "Yuuri! Look at Yuuri!"

Feeling the disappointment rush over him, Phichit sighed and turned toward Victor's excited flailing. In the middle of the dance floor Yuuri was flipping into a handstand, shirt unbuttoned with his bowtie secured over his head like a sweatband. Bursting out laughing, Phichit sagged against Seung Gil's side, feeling elated as Seung Gil's arm snaked back around his waist.

"He looks a like a break dancing Snow White with his tie like that," Seung Gil commented, glancing down as Phichit began to laugh harder. He found that he loved the sound and wanted to find a way to enjoy it forever. Noting that he must be losing his mind entirely, Seung Gil snapped his head back up as Victor shook his shoulder.

"I loooooovvvvvve that maaaaaaan!" Victor yelled, declaration slurred with alcohol as he rejoined Yuuri on the dance floor.

"They won't remember any of this in the morning," Seung Gil said shaking his head. It wouldn't be the first time that one of his best friends had drunkenly declared their love for the other, and he was certain it wouldn't be the last. "I should probably collect them. Sometimes they…" he trailed off as he watched Yuuri shed his shirt completely and use it to pull Victor against him. "That…" waving a hand towards his friends, Seung Gil dropped his arm from Phichit's waist. With a final nod, Seung Gil went to collect the amateur strippers before they were kicked out of another venue.

"Thanks for the dance!" Phichit called out too late, face falling as he observed Seung Gil attempting to wrestle Yuuri and Victor from the reception hall. Those two were going to owe Phichit for ruining his chance with Seung Gil and Phichit would make sure they would pay up.

* * *

The devil himself was responsible for eleven a.m. check out times. Groaning into his hangover, Phitchit rolled into the plush hotel pillow, slapping out to silence his alarm and wish for death.

After Seung Gil had successfully wrangled Victor and Yuuri from the hall, Phichit had drowned his disappointment in a regrettable amount of alcohol. His last clear memory was leaning over the bar, daring the bartender to mix any five things and promising to drink it. The memory was filled with remorse, as was the headache banging into Phichit's skull with tiny malicious hammers.

From the night stand came the sound of his text notifications and Phichit barely resisted the urge to violently fling his phone across the room. Releasing another groan which was accompanied by the stench of his alcohol tainted morning breath, he pulled the phone from the charger and winced at the screen.

"Food, football, recovery," Victor's text read, "four o'clock, real clothing optional." Typing his own two word response, Phichit let his phone drop onto the bed before smashing a pillow to his face.

Yuuri was supposed to share the hotel room with him, but it was obvious that Seung Gil had dragged both him and Victor away from the venue completely. It was probably for the best, as Phichit sometimes became handsy when drunk and he wasn't positive that advances wouldn't have been made on Yuuri. They had been friends for almost a year now, and while Phichit was absolutely convinced that Yuuri and Victor were meant to be, it didn't mean that a slight crush hadn't flitted through his mind.

The possibility had been completely obliterated by the appearance of Yuuri and Victor's claimed best friend. Even now, lying hungover and sweaty in the hotel bed, Phichit could easily recall the shaking thrill of being pressed against Seung Gil. He should have kissed him, Victor and Yuuri's drunkenness be damned.

Pushing from the bed, Phichit dragged his body into the shower, acutely aware of the limited time he had to vacate the room. He would stumble his way back to his own apartment, and hopefully pass out for a few more hours before heading to Victor and Yuuri's. Maybe, if he had enough energy left by the end of the day, he would tell them exactly how they had screwed up his life.

* * *

Most of his body was aching as Seung Gil sat up, stretching from his curled position on Victor's and Yuuri's couch. They were wrongly convinced that the lumpy blue cushions held some sort of secret comfort and Seung Gil was regretting not dropping them into the same bed the night before. He would have felt terrible if they had made drunken decisions that they wouldn't make sober, so he had doomed himself to the couch after tossing each of their drunk bodies into their respective beds.

The apartment was still quiet, and Seung Gil tiptoed into the kitchen to make coffee. It was nearly noon and he groaned, feeling the loss of an entire day upon him. Somewhere in the living room, he had dropped his school bag and Seung Gil resolved to study until at least one of the resident morons showed signs of life.

"Coffeeeeeee…" came the exaggerated moan from behind Seung Gil making him jump. Peering over his shoulder, he spotted Victor leaning head first against a wall wearing nothing but pajama bottoms.

"Morning, sunshine," Seung Gil quipped sarcastically, holding out a mug to Victor. "Feeling awesome today, aren't we?" He had never missed an opportunity to tease a hungover Victor and he wasn't going to start now. The bitterness of the almost kiss with the beautiful Phichit was still virulent in his mind.

"Die," Victor groaned, flopping into a dining room chair. "No Yuuri yet?" The silver hair remained splayed over Victor's arm, no sign of any desire to move occurring.

"It isn't even noon yet," Seung Gil said, purposefully setting his mug down a little too loud on the table. "He won't surface for at least two more hours. If it would make you feel better, you could always go cuddle him." Usually, Seung Gil spaced out his digs at Victor's and Yuuri's relationship, but the extra layer of regret had him feeling snarkier than normal. He would drop the subject before Yuuri woke up, knowing that a hungover Yuuri was a sensitive Yuuri, and he didn't have energy for that.

"You know," Victor started, wincing as he lifted his head, "if you don't stop that nonsense, I am going to kick you out before Phichit gets here."

The heavy thud of Victor's sizable forehead against the table made Seung Gil snicker, as the nervous tickle began to play in his throat. Phichit was coming to the apartment. Seung Gil would have a chance to see him without the dimmed lights and talk to him without the pounding soundtrack. The possibilities were circling each other at warp speed in Seung Gil's mind and he found himself sinking into the closest chair with an overwhelming ache in his chest. "When?" was all he could manage, sipping his coffee to attempt to mask his useless grasp of the English language.

"Four o'clock," came the muffled answer from Victor's still dropped head, "food, football, flirting and fuc-"

"Don't finish that thought, Nikiforov," Seung Gil threatened, the venom leaking out with deadly force. He knew the last word in Victor's sentence. He had regrettably let his mind wander to that same thought in the wee hours of Sunday morning. It had taken all of his self-control to squash it from his mind, and he was not going to let some ridiculous joke bring it back.

"Whatever you say, Gilly," Victor taunted, raising one hand into the air in surrender. "I'm going to go die now, see you in a few hours." Slumping from the table, Victor made his way down the hall, pausing briefly outside of Yuuri's door before continuing on to his own.

Alone again, Seung Gil stared at his coffee hoping it could give him the courage he needed to ask Phichit on a date.

* * *

Victor's and Yuuri's apartment was approximately fourteen blocks from Phichit's. On a good day, he would jog to their front door or ride his bike, enjoying the short burst of physical exertion.

Sunday was not a good day. Dragging himself from his own bed, Phichit yanked his car keys from the hook and plodded from his apartment. Coffee and fast food breakfast had pushed him closer to human, and the few hours of sleep he managed to get in had tipped the scale. He was almost fully functioning by the time he parked in the parking garage under his friends' apartment building, and he opted to walk the three flights of stairs to the shared place.

He was exceptionally glad that Victor had nixed the idea of real clothes. Phichit did not enjoy being in public in his ratty sweatpants and thin t-shirt from his undergraduate days, but Victor's and Yuuri's place didn't count as public, so he had rolled out in his most comfortable outfit. Finally reaching the front door, he knocked lightly, resting his still aching head against the cool metal door frame.

Seung Gil pulled the door open, witnessing Phichit leaning against the door frame, long dark lashes resting against smooth cheeks. It was possible that freshly washed, no makeup, comfy clothes Phichit was more breath-taking than the elegant Adonis Seung Gil had met the prior night. His entire body reacted to Phichit's existence and he cursed himself for being such a sap.

The hint of a curse word from a mere foot from him had Phichit opening his eyes. There had been no indication that Seung Gil would be there, and Phichit suddenly had the urge to sprint down the stairs in search of fashionable clothes and proper facial adornments. Blushing, knowing that he looked like a homeless person on a bad day, Phichit scratched the back of his head and awkwardly waved at Seung Gil. "Well, hey there," he said, wincing at how astoundingly cheesy he sounded.

"Hey," Seung Gil said, unable to form other words. Phichit had raised an arm to do something with his hair, and a sliver of perfectly tanned abdomen muscles had been revealed under the hem of Phichit's shirt. If Seung Gil had functioning linguistic skills, they were nowhere to be found.

"What's the plan here?" Yuuri asked, approaching the lust-frozen statutes masquerading as Phichit and Seung Gil. "I would suggest not standing here awkwardly staring at each other, but that's just me." Letting out a small huff, Yuuri rubbed a hand on his side where Seung Gil had elbowed him. "Come on, foods ready." Throwing out a hand, Yuuri snagged Phichit by the wrist and yanked him into the apartment.

"Yuuri made katsudon!" Victor called happily from his place at the table, already shoveling food into his mouth. "Best hangover food ever," he hummed happily, barreling into his bowl without a second of hesitation.

Phichit watched as Yuuri took his seat opposite Victor and Seung Gil took the seat between them. Pulling the chair, Phichit sank down, sitting directly across from Seung Gil. Feeling self-conscious, Phichit lifted the chopsticks from his bowl and took his first bite of food.

"I know I was really drunk last night," Yuuri spoke, swallowing the last of his mouthful before finishing his thought, "but you two almost kissed, right?" His eyes were downcast, focused on constructing his next bite and completely missing the bright red tint to Seung Gil's and Phichit's ears.

"Yeah, and you two sang love songs to each other the entire ride home," Seung Gil chanced a glance up at Phichit who was staring at him with a gapping look. "They did, for the record." He continued to keep his gaze on Phichit's face hoping his point was getting across. "Do you date?"

The question was out before Seung Gil could stop himself. Sometime in his distracted attempts to study over the afternoon hours, he had hypothesized that Phichit was probably romantically inclined like Victor. He thought doodled ideas of asking Phichit out with bouquets of roses, or showing up at the end of one of Phichit's classes to ask him on a surprise date. None of those ideas were within Seung Gil's comfort zone, but they were all on Victor's long list of things he wanted from a boyfriend and Seung Gil figured it wouldn't hurt to steal a few.

"Date?" Phichit repeated Seung Gil's last word, trying to quiet the squeaky hamster conga line prematurely celebrating in his head. "Like in general or specifically?" He swallowed, feeling as if his tongue was too big for his mouth and the Sahara desert had taken up residence in his throat.

"Specifically," training his eyes toward his own food, Seung Gil refused to look up. He could feel all three sets of eyes boring into him and the heat was flooding to his face. "Me, specifically, actually. Us. On a date." Seung Gil sounded like a four year old trying to form sentences for the first time and he winced realizing the current lack of intelligence he was exhibiting.

"I would like that," Phichit answered, wiggling in his seat with happiness. It wasn't a grand gesture of romance, but somehow it felt exactly perfect. Grinning across the table at Yuuri who gave him a thumbs up, Phichit excitedly reached across the table to squeeze Seung Gil's wrist. "I would like that a lot."

Smiling into his bowl, Seung Gil nodded, eyes drifting to Phichit's hand on his wrist. He was going to get a second chance at that kiss, and this time, he was going to make sure that Victor and Yuuri were as far away as possible.


	2. Chapter 2

**There are two one shots posted for this AU on my Ao3. If anyone who follows me here has interest, let me know and I will move them over!**

* * *

In five days, Seung Gil had taken one mid-term, turned in two excruciatingly long papers, and exchanged exactly one thousand three hundred and twenty eight messages with his new favorite contact. At least two hundred of them were emojis, none of which had been sent by Seung Gil.

At some point, around the five hundredth message, Seung Gil began questioning his own sanity. He had never cared about his phone before, using it solely to communicate brief information with the nimrods of his obligated group project and to schedule social time with Victor and Yuuri. Once a week he called his parents to check in, and otherwise his phone spent most of its time lost on whatever surface he had last placed it.

Now, his fingers twitched with the need to constantly check his text app, waiting with pained anticipation for each pop of Phichit's name. It was ridiculous and absurd. Seung Gil had made fun of Victor for doing exactly what he was doing now, and he couldn't help but wonder if he was a fool. A happy fool, but a fool nonetheless.

They had set their plans for Friday night before noon on Monday, but their communications hadn't lost momentum. There seemed to be hundreds of mundane occurrences that they wanted to share with each other and they did so at will, uncaring as to who sent the last message or what time of the day it was. Seung Gil had learned that Phichit sent the most adorable sleepy texts when the time of night extended beyond ten p.m., sounding like a sleep-deprived toddler with only a mild grasp of spelling and grammar. It was a specific motivation to attempt to keep Phichit talking once the cuteness was discovered, and Seung Gil decided that it was definitely his favorite part of any day.

Although the mornings were certainly a close second. No matter how late they stayed up exchanging messages, there was always a good morning message waiting for Seung Gil accompanied with sunshine emojis and smiling faces. He never knew he needed someone to text him good morning until Phichit started doing it. Closing his eyes on Thursday night, smile curling at the sides of his lips, Seung Gil wondered how he never knew the power of the misspelled words of "swet drams, SG," or the peace of knowing that tomorrow the words "good morning" would be waiting for him.

On Friday, though, it hadn't been only the words awaiting Seung Gil's sleep-dazed stares. A perfectly framed selfie, showing Phichit's dark hair messily scattered over an orange pillow case with one arm stretched above his head, and Phichit's obviously bare chest hiding barely below the bottom of the picture, took over the entire screen of Seung Gil's phone. A smirk and a wink teased over Phichit's face and Seung Gil went from excited for their date to wishing he could time travel directly to seven o'clock.

* * *

"I can't believe you sent that!" Yuuri was staring wide-eyed at Phichit, sitting stick straight in his chair in the largest lecture hall on campus.

Rolling his eyes, Phichit continued to slouch, one leg dangling over the seat in front of him. "I looked cute," Phichit shrugged, "besides he said he liked it and immediately confirmed the time for tonight so I would call that a success." Feeling pleased with himself, Phichit grinned down at his laptop.

The selfie was intended as a morning post for his Instagram, but when Phichit had noted the perfect lighting and the hint of his bare skin, he had immediately decided on a better use. For days he had been twitching around nervously, every particle in his body vibrating with excitement for Friday night. All he wanted to do was ensure that Seung Gil remembered what he looked like. It was a completely innocent thing to do, Phichit reassured himself.

Although it wasn't, and Phichit knew that too. The picture wasn't meant to simply remind Seung Gil of Phichit's looks, but to entice Seung Gil to keep looking. Phichit wanted Seung Gil to want him, as much as Phichit was starting to want Seung Gil.

The feeling had started on Sunday afternoon as the football game raged from the television set and the four friends had sprawled across the living room furniture each nursing their own form of alcohol induced regret. With the exception of Seung Gil who had seemed completely hydrated and awake, even if he had moved with the stiffness of sleeping on the couch.

Throughout the game, Phichit had watched Seung Gil out of the corner of his eye. This man had danced with him, making Phichit feel cherished in the brief minutes spent wrapped into Seung Gil's arms in the midst of the wedding reception dance floor on Saturday night. Sunday afternoon the same man sat, back straight with both feet planted on the ground watching the game with mild interest with an intriguingly calm demeanor. His features were sharp with a natural elegance that had made Phichit want to stare at him for hours. The lean shape of Seung Gil's body lead to slender legs, thin feet, and long fingers. He was stunning and he wanted to date Phichit, two facts that Phichit spent most of Sunday obsessing over instead of paying attention to either team's score.

They had exchanged numbers in front of the apartment building before parting ways to their own homes. Phichit easily remembered the twitch of muscle in Seung Gil's cheek as he entered his number into Phichit's phone and the flush of those same cheeks when he realized Phichit was watching him. When they parted, it was with small waves, and Phichit had spent a ridiculous amount of time analyzing the motion of Seung Gil's arm over the past few days.

For a solid two hours on Sunday night, Phichit had resisted texting the new number in his phone. He had overheard Victor asking about Seung Gil's paper and figured that Seung Gil would be using the time to study. He had cleaned his apartment and washed every piece of dirty laundry that he could find in an attempt to ignore the growing temptation. When there were no excuses left, Phichit had curled into his favorite chair and had given into his urge.

Smiling down into his notebook, Phichit let the favorite parts of their conversations scroll through his mind like movie credits. It would have been easy to dismiss his feelings as being overeager and based on physical attraction alone, except five days of rapid texting had quashed that denial. Seung Gil's wit paired with the genuine care of his questions, had Phichit ready to hand his heart over. He had been on so many dates, but none had ever come with an all-encompassing anticipation of the future.

"Why is he so smiley?"

Glancing to the other side of Yuuri, Phichit watched as Victor dropped down into the open seat. The deep blue sweater, pulled over a button down shirt and pressed khakis was far too dressy for a morning lecture and Phichit found himself briefly wondering if the outfit was for someone's benefit. Someone, like their mutual friend currently chastising Victor for his lateness.

Rolling his eyes, Victor leaned forward to open his bag, seemingly ignoring Yuuri's indignation over Victor's tardiness. "Yuuri!" Victor interrupted, sitting back and rolling a cylindrical can between his hands. "I was late, because we were out of coffee and red bull, so I stopped to get you this." The can made a clinking noise against Yuuri's desk as his mini-tirade came to a halt, replaced by an exasperated acknowledgement of gratitude. Laughing Victor copied Phichit's relaxed stance and threw one arm behind Yuuri's shoulders, shaking them lightly to make Yuuri blush.

Considering his friends, Phichit made a mental note to ask Seung Gil what he thought of the pair. He had known them a little over a year, and in that time he had witnessed some of the most natural caring between two people that Phichit had ever seen. He had also witnessed them angrily throwing pens at each other over a table in the library and stubbornly thrusting text books at each other to prove argued points. There had never been two people who belonged together more than Victor and Yuuri, and Phichit was continually dumbfounded over their blatant stupidity in the matter. Seung Gil had known them longer, so Phichit added it to the list of potential topics for their date, feeling the zing of anticipation flash through his body.

It was only nine hours until his date would begin, and Phichit was definitely counting down every minute.

* * *

On Sunday, Phichit had washed, dried and put away every article of clothing that he owned. By six o'clock on Friday night, every single piece was spread out on his bed, wrinkled and rejected.

Panic had begun to set in around five when classes were over and Phichit was left without any sort of distraction. He had dragged Yuuri back to his apartment, begging his friend to help him get ready and keep him company while he dove head long into a sea of paranoia and doubt. That sea became stormy as Phichit realized that he had nothing to wear and everything he put on his body was hideous.

"That's it!" Phichit yelled, throwing his hands in the air and stomping his foot like an angry child. "I'm going in my underwear. At least he will get a good look at all my goods!" Wildly, Phichit grabbed at his clothed balls before smacking himself in the ass.

Yuuri roared with laughter, crumpling on the armrest of the chair. "Don't…" wheezing, Yuuri waved his hand in the air, "do that again!" Arms circling his stomach, Yuuri continued to the point of silent laughter.

"I'm glad someone is amused!" Phichit threw his hands in the air and stormed back to his bed. He needed pants that were tight but would let him comfortably eat, and a shirt that was soft but that would hug his body close. The color had to compliment his eyes, but also not clash with whatever Seung Gil was wearing. He had been a whirling clothes tornado for a solid hour, and Yuuri had been only aiding in creating a laughter track to Phichit's every frustrated exclamation. He should have recruited Victor, Phichit thought bitterly seconds before his eyes went wide. Diving over his bed, and almost sliding off head first on the other side, Phichit ignored Yuuri's continued hiccuped giggles as he furiously typed a message to his hopefully more useful friend.

* * *

The light knock at his door had Seung Gil capping his highlighter and placing his text book aside. He had been attempting to read the required chapter for the last thirty minutes, realizing that he had highlighted the same line repeatedly until it had begun to wear through the page. There had not been an ounce of information retained in any of his classes that day, and Seung Gil had found himself thankful that all of his major assignments for the next couple of weeks were already behind him. Crossing the living room, he scowled as the knock at his door became more insistent.

Prying the door open, Seung Gil reeled backwards as Victor almost knocked on his forehead. Taking in the excited smile and bouncing movement of his best friend, Seung Gil attempted to the shut the door with a single "no" being proclaimed in the process.

"Let me in your stubborn piece of-" Victor shoulder charged the door, making Seung Gil stumble backwards. "Now was that so hard, you dumbass?" Straightening his posture and running a hand through his hair, Victor eyed Seung Gil. "What are you wearing, Gilly?"

It said something about how long they had known each other that Seung Gil did not let out the string of curses bouncing around in his mind. His outfit had taken minutes to put together, and he was proud of the result. Tucking his hands into his pockets, Seung Gil narrowed his eyes in Victor's direction. "I'm fine, thank you for the input, now get out of my house."

Instead of listening, Victor barked out a laugh and latched onto Seung Gil's wrist. "I know dating isn't your _thing_ ," the emphasis on the word had Seung Gil flinching, "but honestly, sweater vests shouldn't be either. You look like my grandfather." Shooting a look over his shoulder, Victor surveyed Seung Gil's clothing as they continued their struggle down the hall. "Scratch that, it's an insult to my grandfather."

This time Seung Gil let the litany of profanity roll off his tongue, stubbornly kicking out at Victor's legs. The sweater vest was soft and it kept his torso warm without making his arms hot and Seung Gil felt that it was a very practical date outfit for the early fall, especially paired with his favorite t-shirt. As he was shoved down on the bed, he realized Victor was going to tell him exactly why that thinking was entirely wrong. Giving in, Seung Gil sat and waited to be redressed while his best friend disappeared into the walk-in closet.

* * *

Knuckles white on the edge of his phone, Phichit watched as the digital time changed from 7:03 to 7:04. _Four minutes isn't that late_ , Phichit reminded himself, trying to breathe through the nerves that were beginning to squeeze him. _If it gets to 7:05 I will text him._ Resolved in this decision, Phichit leaned against his kitchen counter and achingly stared at the white numbers. As 7:05 came into existence, he opened his text app to type a message when a knock at his door had his phone clattering to the ground. Forcing himself to breathe, Phichit retrieved his phone and walked slowly across his apartment to pull the door opened.

The selfie should have been enough to prepare Seung Gil for the beauty of Phichit Chulanont, but the instant the door opened, Seung Gil knew there would never be a way to do so. Dark hair, black eye liner, and a slightly unbuttoned white shirt under a blue jacket made Phichit look like he had walked off the pages of a magazine. Knowing that his brain would short-circuit if he dared to look any lower, Seung Gil trained his gaze on the beautiful eyes shining in his direction. It was a mistake, because he could feel himself drowning in the light he found there and for a brief moment, Seung Gil forgot how to speak.

"Hi!" Phichit said a little too loudly, making them both jump and his hamsters begin to stir in their cage. Seung Gil was dressed in a simple navy shirt, unbuttoned at the neck with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. The knit sweater vest would have been questionable on anyone else, but on Seung Gil it looked refined and temptingly touchable. The pair of gray eyes were boring holes into Phichit's soul making Phichit's stomach flutter. He silently wondered if they could skip the date completely and stay hidden inside of the apartment wall to explore all of the ideas dancing through his mind. Luckily, Phichit's attachment to his own outfit prevented him from making any crude suggestions out loud.

Realizing that neither of them had spoken beyond Phichit's nervous squeak, he awkwardly waved a hand behind him into the room. "I… um… so… this is my place!" His brain reminded him that he was a law student and knew bigger words than the ones he had lamely strung together. His tongue refused to cooperate though, leaving him sounding like a stuttering buffoon.

Everything Phichit owned appeared to be strewn about the confines of the small studio apartment. Seung Gil noted the industrial scaffolding against the opposite wall serving as both shelves for pots and pans and an open pantry of stacked boxes and cans. The fridge stood next to it, with a stove, sink and small counter space sitting catty corner and a large island taking up the remaining kitchen designated area. A round chair with a battered green cushion and several mismatched patches sat in the corner of the room, with a cart on wheels holding a laptop perched next to it and bean bag chairs scattered around it. The television was mounted on the wall, attached to a swivel arm that could angle it in the direction of the bed or chair with an impressive collection of movies taking up the several shelves underneath. Piled on the bed were mounds of clothing, pillows of various shapes and sizes along with an array of brightly colored blankets poked out from underneath like they were trying to escape their own suffocating doom.

Taking it all in, Seung Gil lifted his head to discover drapes of fabric tied and hanging from the exposed rafters with hints of glow-in-the-dark stars poking out between the folds. On the top of one wide wood beam was a canoe, while plastic boxes were precariously balanced on the parallel joist. In the corner, several small furry beings were peering out from behind neon green bars, their beady eyes judging Seung Gil from their oversized prison. The entire room felt like the inside of a very eclectic genie bottle.

"I know it isn't much…" Phichit trailed off, lifting a shaking hand to smooth his hair. He knew from Yuuri that Seung Gil owned a condo in the same complex as Victor and Yuuri's apartment, and he was quickly beginning to think that letting Seung Gil see his tiny living space was a terrible idea. Stepping forward, he tried to urge Seung Gil out of the door without words.

"I love it," Seung Gil said, letting the anxious bubble pop inside of his stomach, "it is very… you." Every eccentric corner was pure Phichit and Seung Gil let his amusement show on his face. After five days of communication, he knew Phichit was more lively and cheerful than Seung Gil would ever be and standing in Phichit's personal space reinforced this thought. He didn't hate it though. Instead, Seung Gil felt an insane desire to celebrate the fact that this beautiful whimsical man would even consider wasting his time on Seung Gil. Continuing to crookedly smile, Seung Gil lifted his right hand. "I know it isn't much, but…" rolling the single white daisy between his fingers, Seung Gil presented it to Phichit, "I saw it and it made me think of you." He felt his cheeks flush as Phichit's fingers brushed his own, accepting the offered flower.

In his entire life, Phichit had never received flowers from anyone. Although this daisy was without ribbons or wrappings, it was a pure white and peered up at Phichit with a promise of something new and beautiful. Emotion flooded his throat, and Phichit had to restrain himself from tearing up. "Thank you," he whispered, peeking from under his lashes to find Seung Gil blushing a deep red. "I'm going to put it in water, and then we can go. If that's ok?" Turning toward the kitchen sink, Phichit swore he heard Seung Gil whisper, "anything you want is okay with me." The giddiness gripped Phichit's chest, replacing the worry and fear with unhindered elation.

With careful consideration, Seung Gil watched Phichit retrieve a tall glass from the metal shelves and fill it with water. He was sure that he was losing his mind, falling victim to years of Victor's yammering about love and romance, but watching Phichit carefully place the single daisy in its new glass home with a small smile on his face, Seung Gil decided he would happily go insane. They hadn't even walked out of the door, and Seung Gil was already convinced that his whispered sentiment was true. Whatever Phichit wanted in this world, Seung Gil was already prepared to give him.

* * *

A breeze had begun to chill the air as Seung Gil and Phichit left the restaurant, stomachs aching from a combination of too much food and hours of laughter. Over course after course of their meal, they had discussed everything from their families to the insanity that was Victor and Yuuri. Seung Gil had shared stories of their undergrad days and Phichit had told an elaborate story about how they had both climbed on their desks while in heated debate during their first year of law school. Somewhere between their salads and the bottom of their bottle of wine, they had decided that Victor and Yuuri were the most idiotic soulmates that had ever existed on the planet.

Hips bumping together, Seung Gil took a chance and wrapped his fingers into Phichit's. His heart missed a beat as he felt the perfect fit of their intertwined hands. Before their bread basket had even arrived, Seung Gil acknowledged that he was probably already at the bottom of a forever hill, having fallen head over heels for Phichit Chulanont.

The date hadn't even been perfect. Seung Gil had accidentally hit Phichit with the door of the car when he tried to open it and then had tripped while trying to pull out Phichit's chair in the restaurant. The first misstep had resulted in a potential bruise to Phichit's hip, while the second had resulted in Phichit toppling to the carpeted floor. When Seung Gil had helped his date to a standing position, Phichit had pecked a giggling kiss to his cheek and Seung Gil had to move very carefully to his own seat to avoid tripping over his own feet again.

Eating had presented another set of issues as Phichit talked with his hands and accidentally flung a piece of bread into the hair of the woman at the next table. Seung Gil had attempted to retrieve it, mistakenly trying to sneak it out of the over-sprayed tresses, resulting in an unfortunate beating to his shoulder by a purse stuffed with hard candies. By the time he had returned to the table, Phichit was crying with laughter and Seung Gil had found sixteen new shades of red that his cheeks could turn.

It hadn't been perfect, Seung Gil thought, tilting his head toward Phichit who was still chattering away as they walked down the sidewalk, but he would remember every second for the rest of his life.

"Hey," Phichit turned to find Seung Gil already looking at him and felt a rush of pleasure flood from the tips of his ears to the nails on his toes. "I know a twenty-four hour ice cream shop. They have benches and a little grassy area, plus they sometimes keep the music on outside. Want to go?" He could hear the eagerness in his question, and Phichit winced at the sound. Sometimes people told him that he was too much to handle, and overwhelming in his enthusiasm. Holding his breath, Phichit worried his bottom lip with his teeth waiting for Seung Gil's answer.

The pink of Phichit's lower lip was being assaulted by Phichit's teeth and Seung Gil lost his train of thought as his eyes focused on the nervous action. He had thought about kissing Phichit more than he should admit to anyone, and the taunt of the pull of Phichit's lip was making his mind melt into uselessness. A small unsure noise escaped from Phichit and Seung Gil snapped out of it, returning his gaze to Phichit's eyes where it belonged. "Ice cream," Seung Gil said, seeing Phichit nod, "I love ice cream. Lead the way." Hands still linked, they set off down the sidewalk, both of them determined to keep their date going for as long as possible.

* * *

As with everything in their college town, the best places were usually the ones tucked away from the hustle of the large corporate businesses. The ice cream shop was no exception, a tiny building hiding behind a law firm that Phichit hoped to intern for the following semester. Sneaking around the side of the building, Seung Gil saw Phichit's eyes light up as the pale pink overhang came into view.

Tiny lights decorated a front yard, which was surrounded by an intricate iron fence and covered in plush green grass. There was an inside area which was opened during particular hours, but the large window propped open under the pink awning continued to serve ice cream to those who wanted to sit outside on the scattered benches. Soft music piped over low hanging speakers, and outdoor heaters controlled the temperature in the small garden area. Feeling Phichit pull his hand, Seung Gil followed his adorable date through the gate and to the window.

Excitedly, Phichit ordered mint chocolate chip in a waffle cone and stepped aside to let Seung Gil order his disgusting choice of pistachio. Wrinkling his nose, Phichit scoffed at Seung Gil's order and then gasped with shocked displeasure when Seung Gil threatened to make him try it. Phichit was openly flirting with Seung Gil, and enjoyed seeing Seung Gil's attempt to return the playfulness.

Insisting on paying for the ice cream, Phichit ducked under Seung Gil's arm which was attempting to hand the bored looking worker a handful of money. Pushing his own money across the counter, Phichit tried to keep himself calm as he felt Seung Gil's arm graze his back on its route to return the offered money to Seung Gil's pocket. It wasn't only Seung Gil's impeccably good looks that were setting Phichit on fire, but also the easy banter and innate sense of comfort Phichit felt in his presence. Twisting slightly, to look over his shoulder, Phichit winked when Seung Gil smiled at him.

The wink seared itself into Seung Gil's brain, becoming one of many images that would probably float back to him in his bed alone later that night. There was no doubt in Seung Gil's mind that sleep would be impossible without a physical release of some sort, especially as Phichit began slowly licking over the curved top of the ice cream. Praying for his own strength, Seung Gil concentrated on his own dripping cone.

Pistachio ice cream was one of the worst flavors Phichit had ever tasted, yet he found himself wanting to venture toward it as Seung Gil methodically consumed the ice cream melting over his cone. Fascination with the skilled swipe of Seung Gil's tongue made Phichit completely forget about his own cold treat, until a drop hit his thumb. Cursing, Phichit redirected his attention and attempted to remedy the mess caused by his distraction and the porch heaters.

His eyes flitted to Phichit in time for Seung Gil to see the top of the ice cream cone connect directly with Phichit's nose. Chuckling, he sat watching as Phichit wrestled with the melting ice cream, catching drips in his mouth from the point of the cone while polka-dotting his face with green sugary spots. Popping the last of his own cone into his mouth, Seung Gil choked as Phichit attempted to wipe the stickiness from his face, leaving the mess still present and a thin napkin adhered to it. "Can I help?" Seung Gil offered, the teasing tone escaping before he could prevent it.

"No please, let me sit here looking like a moron until I die." The sarcasm was unusual for Phichit and he laughed in spite of himself. One night with Seung Gil and he was already expanding his style of humor. Yuuri was going to be so proud.

Reaching for his back pocket, Seung Gil retrieved his wallet and flipped it open. The small square slide easily from the folds and he sat his wallet between them on the bench as he brought it to his mouth to tear open.

"How is a condom going to help?!" The squeal was unintentional, but Phichit couldn't help it. His thoughts had certainly drifted to the possibility throughout the night, but why Seung Gil would think in the middle of a fake park, while Phichit had ice cream and a napkin stuck to his face, it would be a good time to start getting down was beyond his comprehension.

"A what?!" Seung Gil exclaimed, dropping the object out of his mouth and onto the ground. "It's not… why would…" he couldn't get the words out, the fire on his cheeks apparently preventing him from forming real sentences. Bending, he retrieved the small wrapper and held it up for Phichit to see.

"A…" trailing off, Phichit read the packet with the one eye not obscured by a napkin. "Wet nap," he exhaled, hanging his head sheepishly as Seung Gil began to laugh. "I suppose that would be helpful… in this situation…" There was no rescuing his dignity as Phichit continued to hang his face toward his lap.

Inhaling deeply, Seung Gil tried to calm his laughter. He could never remember a time that he had laughed so much in one night, and he didn't want to ruin it by embarrassing Phichit any further. Scooting across the bench, he lightly lifted the destroyed ice cream cone from Phichit's hand and tossed it in the trash can. Slowly, he cleaned off the mess on Phichit's fingers and wrist, before hooking a finger under Phichit's chin to encourage his head up. When Phichit finally conceded, Seung Gil chuckled softly, gently pulling the napkin from Phichit's forehead and wiping his face with the wet nap.

Seung Gil's fingers were feather light against Phichit's skin, but sparks were erupting everywhere they touched. Humming, Phichit lost himself in the feeling letting his eyes trail over Seung Gil's concentrated face. "Dance with me," Phichit whispered, catching himself by surprise as Seung Gil's hands dropped. A second passed when Phichit was sure that Seung Gil was going to refuse, but then Seung Gil was standing and pulling Phichit along with him.

They had danced exactly once, but Seung Gil felt Phichit slide into his arms and it was like coming home. It was natural, and calming, and Seung Gil felt his body begin to move of its own accord. Smiling down at Phichit, he smirked when he noticed a bit of napkin still stuck in Phichit's eyebrow. Lifting a hand back towards Phichit's face, Seung Gil rested his palm on the warm cheek, angling his head to get a better look at the stuck paper in the pale light.

Phichit had never wanted a kiss more than he wanted the one that Seung Gil was leaning into at that moment. Unable to control his desire, Phichit pushed up on his toes and connected with Seung Gil's lips. He nearly toppled backwards when Seung Gil jumped away. Dropping his hands to his sides, Phichit looked anywhere but his date. "I'm sorry!" he screeched, arms beginning to wave erratically at his sides. "I thought… we… and you… and your hand…" stuttering, Phichit took a step back, keeping his eyes trained towards his shoes.

Seung Gil's brain was exploding. He wasn't ready when Phichit kissed him and the first contact had set his entire body into a startled sense of arousal. Every word of any language he had ever learned flashed out of his mind, leaving only a blank void, currently screaming in one long high-pitched panicked screech. He wasn't suave or slick to begin with, a fact that he had proven repeatedly throughout the night, and now he may have blown his only chance to kiss the beautiful man still sputtering before him. Setting his jaw, Seung Gil told himself there was no way he was going to mess this up. Pushing away his own stupidity, Seung Gil took a step forward and placed a hand on Phichit's hip. When the words stopped falling from Phichit's mouth, Seung Gil returned his palm to Phichit's cheek and tipped his face upwards. "You have napkin in your eyebrow," Seung Gil whispered, as if it was an intimate secret smiling, as Phichit giggled. "And you taste like mint," running a thumb over Phichit's cheekbone, Seung Gil tried to settle his breathing.

"You taste like pistachio," Phichit responded, letting himself be pulled back into Seung Gil, feeling their bodies graze as Phichit wrapped an arm around Seung Gil's waist, sliding the other one onto Seung Gil's chest.

"You hate pistachio," Seung Gil ran his nose against the top of Phichit's nose, instinctually remembering the feeling of the same gesture during their dance at the wedding.

Threading his hand into the back of Seung Gil's hair, Phichit felt his breath hitch as their lips moved a breath apart. "Totally worth it…" he spoke the last word directly against Seung Gil's mouth, feeling the smile there as Phichit closed his eyes.

Moving together, still swaying to the beat of the song surrounding them, they kissed until they were both laughing at their breathlessness, breaking apart to marvel at the beauty of what they had found in each other.

* * *

"You're addictive." The words were hushed from Phichit's lips by the prompt return of Seung Gil's to the same place they had been for an hour.

They had been embarrassingly shoed from the ice cream shop garden, the blushing worker begging them to take their make out session elsewhere. Seung Gil had felt a ripple of horror at his own actions, internally scolding himself for acting like a horny teenager. The scolding didn't take, however, because as soon as he had parked the car in front of Phichit's apartment, they had reconnected, kissing as if their lives depended on it.

"Come upstairs," Phichit whimpered, both hands tangled in Seung Gil's hair as he attempted to pull their bodies closer. He had been attracted to other men, and even kissed other men, but it was nothing compared to the raging need he felt for Seung Gil.

Those two words, and their implied meaning, erected a giant yield sign in Seung Gil's mind. Pulling back to give himself distance to think, he ran gentle caresses over Phichit's cheek. There was no way, no matter how attracted Seung Gil was to Phichit or how badly his body wanted him to say yes, that he was going to let their night take that turn. He had decided hours ago that he wanted Phichit for longer than one night. Looking into the concerned eyes, peering at him through dark lashes, Seung Gil knew that forever was closer to what he wanted. "Phichit…" it was accidentally a whine, and Seung Gil visibly panicked at his own desperation.

"Do you want to?" Phichit reached a hand over the center console and touched Seung Gil's thigh. Every part of him was shaking with nervousness of barely restrained need.

"Yes…" Seung Gil captured Phichit's hand with his own, and brought it to his lips to place small kisses on Phichit's knuckles. "But, I want so much more than _that_." The thought hung in the air between them, suspended by Seung Gil's silent pleading for Phichit to understand, and Phichit's contemplation.

 _More._ Seung Gil wanted more than what their combined bodies seemed to be craving. Phichit didn't have to drag Seung Gil upstairs and push the boundaries on their first date to convince Seung Gil to stay. Seung Gil already wanted to and the knowledge of this had tears pinching in the corners of Phichit's eyes. "More, I can handle." The words were punctuated by Phichit's exhilarated breathing and he giggled when Seung Gil pulled him into another kiss. Whatever more Seung Gil wanted, Phichit was definitely willing to give it to him.

* * *

It was another hour before Phichit made it upstairs, singing as he went with his jacket dangling over his arm. His lips were slightly chapped, his hip was sore from being pressed against the gear shift, but his happy heart made up for all of it. Unlocking his door, he called a cheerful hello to his furbabies and kicked his shoes off as he crossed the room.

Collapsing onto his bed, Phichit sighed. His heart was still dancing in his chest, making his breathing uneven, as he replayed every detail of the night. Everything, from the daisy to the first kiss, had been right out of a modern fairytale and Phichit wanted to memorize each precise part. Someday, he would tell their grandchildren about their grandfather, a knight in a shiny blue Volvo, sweeping him off his feet. Letting the squeal erupt, Phichit grabbed his pillow and hugged it tightly to his chest. He felt ready to burst with giddy energy.

From the depths of his pocket, Victor's notification sound made Phichit jump. Eager to share, he chased the phone and unlocked it to hurriedly type out each minute of the night. Later, he would copy the texts and save them to his quick notes as a permanent record of every perfect moment.

* * *

Pushing the metal door of his condo open, Seung Gil flipped on the light and sighed taking in the painfully organized space. Phichit's apartment was full of color and chaos, an exterior representation of the man himself. It had been warm and welcoming, despite the mess entangled with the smell of hamsters. Seung Gil had spent less than ten minutes inside of the space, and already he could feel himself longing to be back there.

Moving down the beige painted hallway, he passed the sparsely decorated spare bedroom acting as his office and the pristine bathroom colored in pale gray. His bedroom walls were the same beige as the hallway, a color painted by the previous owner that Seung Gil hadn't bothered to change. The bed, covered by a brown comforter and adorned with a single pillow, stood center in the room, with two dressers on the opposite wall.

Taking in the room, Seung Gil resisted the urge to sigh again. Phichit's bed had been covered in a mound of clothes, multi-colored quilts and a pillow tower of mismatched pillow cases. Somehow, even with the fretful disaster of cloth, Seung Gil had found it inviting. Even now, undressing in his own room, he wondered what it would be like to curl under the rainbow of softness and hold Phichit close until they fell asleep under the ceiling of artificial stars. The thought pressed itself deep in Seung Gil's heart and he realized he wanted it so badly, it was making his chest ache.

In an effort to calm himself, Seung Gil carefully placed his dirty clothes into the hamper and pulled clean pajama bottoms along with a matching t-shirt from his drawer. As he pulled the softer fabric over his body, he heard the phone vibrate across the top of his dresser. There was no doubt that it was Yuuri or Victor prying into the details of his evening, and Seung Gil lifted the phone with trepidation hammering in his heart.

"So… how was it?" The text message was from Yuuri and carried only the air of curiosity instead of a demand for information.

Contemplating his answer for only a moment, Seung Gil let his thumbs loose across his keyboard. "He eats ice cream like a baby T-rex." Smiling, Seung Gil happily recalled Phichit's messy hands and face, with the sweet taste of Phichit's lips immediately slamming in afterwards. Face flaming, Seung Gil glared at his phone daring Yuuri to say something stupid.

"Ha ha, I don't doubt that. Still like him?"

A relieved exhale came deep from Seung Gil's chest as his stuttering laughter chased in from his lungs. Before he could stop himself, he was typing again. "I'm going to marry him."

It was a message so full of truth that Seung Gil felt a weight lift from his shoulders after putting the thought into words. Without a care as to Yuuri's response, Seung Gil turned his phone on silent and abandoned it on his dresser. Crawling underneath his own bland covers, he settled down to sleep with that single thought still looping in his mind.


End file.
